The Wolfpack will be looking for redemption from a disappointing season last year as it finished with a 28-26 regular season record and stood at 9-12 in the ACC. The Pack also took an early exit in the conference tournament, falling to rival UNC 7-1 in the first round.
With a less than impressive season, the Pack is looking to rebound and that will be determined by how well some of the freshmen players can play this season.
State is carrying five freshmen on the roster this year, but is expecting the most out of pitcher Kayla Cox, who will most likely be placed into the starting rotation.
In her senior year of high school at East Bay in Riverview, Florida, she compiled an 18-1 record and had a staggering 0.19 ERA, while leading her school to 5-A state title. She was also named a second team ESPN All-American her senior year.
“We love all of the freshman,” senior Alyssa Allbritten said. “We are excited to see what they’re going to do and we think they’ll have a big impact on the team.”
Cox’s performance this season will be especially important as the team will have to replace last season’s ace, Lindsay Campana. In her senior year, Campana pitched 197 innings, 89 more innings than any other pitcher on the team, in route to finishing the season with a 1.31 ERA and 17-12 record.
Of the three starting pitchers on the roster, only junior Morgan Peeler has a significant amount of experience with the team. Peeler had a 4.53 ERA last season and a 3-5 record in 16 starts.
The good news for the Pack is that it will return its star hitter of last season, Landon Warren.
Warren posted a .319 batting average, which was second on the team last year and a .974 fielding percentage, playing outfield and second base. She was also an iron woman for the team last year playing and starting in all 55 contests last season.
Senior Alyssa Ishibashi said she believes the Pack is well prepared for this season and expects nothing less than excellence.
“Our expectations for this season are really high,” Ishibashi said. “We’re read to go, we’ve been working on the basics and making sure that we’re all on the same page.”
Ishibashi hopes to bounce back as she struggled last season batting just .179, compared to her .298 average two seasons ago.
Senior Alicia Abbot was a reliable source on the defensive end for the Pack, only committing one error in 26 games in her first season with State after transferring from Illinois-Chicago. After her first season in the ACC, she is excited to get on to the conference schedule and make some noise.
“The whole ACC is usually tough,” Abbot said. “We want to beat everybody that we can and try to make a statement this year during conference play.”
Allbritten is also looking forward to playing the ACC schedule this season.
“I’m excited about playing UNC and all of the ACC games,” Allbritten said. “It’s a big rivalry and we definitely have an eye on that game on the schedule.”
The Pack will begin its season at the USF Wilson-Demarini Tournament in Clearwater, Florida from Feb. 11 to 13 where it will play five games against Florida Gulf Coast, Long Island, Marshall, host USF and No. 5 Florida.
